City approves 2012 infrastructure improvements

The city council approved between -$705,000 to $901,000 in new city infrastructure improvements at its regular Tuesday night meeting.

Joshua Dixon, Staff Writer

The city council approved between -$705,000 to $901,000 in new city infrastructure improvements at its regular Tuesday night meeting.
The new improvements are divided into three main projects:
• The 11th Street project will consist of full street reconstruction, including storm water basins, curb and gutter work. The street will be built to a ton-ton standard doe to the high volume of use of loaded grain vehicles in the autumn.
The estimated cost for this project is $273,000.
• The Schmahl Drive project will consist of a full reconstruction, including sewer, water, curb gutter, residential hookups, and driveway restorations.
It includes boring a water line from Schmahl Drive on Cook Street to Sunrise Blvd, and provide improved water service to Reede Gray Elementary School.
Estimated cost of this project is $325,000.
• The Morten Drive project will consist of a 275 foot long water main replacement and bituminous reconstruction from the center line on Cook Street heading south.
The estimated cost of this portion of the 2012 infrastructure projects is $107,000.
In other city news, the council:
• Approved the hospital sign a contract expanding its emergency room (ER) physician services from Acute Care, Inc. (ACI)
With several local doctors retiring or limiting their practice in anticipation of retirement, the hospital staff believes it will be necessary to increase the use of out-of-town ER physicians until new local doctors can be recruited.
• Approved the PUC advertising for bids, plans, and specifications for the upcoming east substation integration project.
• In a related project, the city approved the PUC awarding a bid of $315,687 to Stuart Irby for 48,800 feet of cable to be used to connect the new east substation into the town’s existing electrical system.
• Authorized the mayor and city administrator to sign two easements with the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, granting their staff access to city electrical substations.
• Authorized the mayor to sign a reserve contract with the Western Area Power Administration.
• Approved accepting a $24,234 bid from Kohls-Weelborg for a replacement one-ton truck for the park, along with a $5,223 bid for a body and hoist for it from Northern Truck Equipment.
• Approved a $3,376 bid from Schueller’s Bad Boy Sales and Service for a zero-turn mower trade-in.
• Approved the first reading of an ordinance granting a franchise to Mediacom Minnesota LLC to operate a cable television system in the city.
A public hearing to debate the franchise agreement has been set for 5:15 p.m. on April 17, 2012 at city hall.
• Approved new job descriptions and wage updates for the positions of city HR coordinator, deputy city clerk, and senior accountant, since those responsibilities have been shifted around a bit since the retirement of the former HR director/city clerk.